19+ Best Romanian Recipes

Romanian food rarely shows up on American dinner tables, but it deserves a spot there. Cabbage rolls simmered until the filling turns tender, polenta topped with sour cream and salty cheese, stews thickened with garlic and paprika. This is food built for cold nights, big families, and second helpings.

Romanian cooking leans on a handful of ingredients used again and again: pork, cabbage, peppers, dill, sour cream, and polenta made from cornmeal. Once your pantry has those basics, you can move through most of the dishes below without much trouble.

The best Romanian recipes for home cooks start with sarmale and mici, the two dishes that show up at nearly every family gathering, then branch into soups, stews, and sweet pastries that round out a full meal.

Quick picks:

• Best for a crowd: Sarmale, because it feeds a table and reheats beautifully.
• Best weeknight option: Chiftele, simple pan-fried meatballs ready in under an hour.
• Best soup to start with: Ciorbă de Perișoare, a tangy, comforting classic.
• Best sweet finish: Papanași, fried cheese doughnuts piled with jam and sour cream.

1. Sarmale (Stuffed Cabbage Rolls)

Sarmale are pickled or fresh cabbage leaves wrapped around a seasoned pork and rice filling, simmered low and slow until soft and smoky. They’re the dish most Romanians call their favorite, often served with a dollop of sour cream and a side of mămăligă.

Yield: 8 servings | Prep: 45 min | Cook: 2.5 hours

Ingredients:

• 1 large jar pickled cabbage (or 1 head fresh cabbage, blanched)
• 1.5 lbs ground pork
• 1/2 cup rice, uncooked
• 1 onion, finely chopped
• 2 tbsp tomato paste
• 1 tsp dried thyme
• Salt and pepper to taste
• 4 slices smoked bacon
• 2 bay leaves
• 3 cups chicken broth

Method:

1. Mix pork, rice, onion, thyme, salt, and pepper.
2. Separate cabbage leaves, trim thick ribs.
3. Place a spoonful of filling on each leaf and roll tightly.
4. Line a pot with bacon, layer rolls seam-side down.
5. Mix tomato paste with broth, pour over rolls.
6. Add bay leaves, cover, and simmer 2.5 hours on low heat.

2. Mici (Grilled Skinless Sausages)

Mici are juicy, garlicky ground meat sausages grilled without casings, a staple at Romanian backyard cookouts. The secret is resting the meat mixture overnight so the garlic and spices fully soak in.

Yield: 20 mici | Prep: 20 min + overnight rest | Cook: 15 min

Ingredients:

• 1 lb ground beef
• 1 lb ground pork
• 6 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 tsp baking soda
• 1 cup beef broth
• 1 tsp paprika
• 1 tsp dried thyme
• Salt and pepper to taste

Method:

1. Mix all ingredients until smooth and sticky.
2. Cover and refrigerate overnight.
3. Shape into small finger-length logs.
4. Grill over medium-high heat, turning often, about 12-15 minutes.

If you enjoy grilled sausage, our sausage recipes collection has more smoky, garlicky options worth trying.

3. Mămăligă cu Brânză și Smântână (Polenta with Cheese and Sour Cream)

Mămăligă is Romania’s answer to polenta, creamy cornmeal porridge layered with salty cheese and cool sour cream. It’s the ultimate comfort side, often paired with stews or fried eggs for breakfast.

Yield: 4 servings | Prep: 5 min | Cook: 25 min

Ingredients:

• 1 cup coarse cornmeal
• 4 cups water
• 1 tsp salt
• 1 cup crumbled feta or telemea cheese
• 1/2 cup sour cream
• 2 tbsp butter

Method:

1. Bring water and salt to a boil.
2. Whisk in cornmeal slowly to avoid lumps.
3. Reduce heat, stir often for 20-25 minutes until thick.
4. Stir in butter.
5. Serve layered with cheese and sour cream.

4. Ciorbă de Burtă (Sour Tripe Soup)

Ciorbă de burtă is a creamy, tangy tripe soup finished with sour cream, garlic, and vinegar, popular as a hangover cure across Romania. The sourness comes from fermented bran liquid called borș, though vinegar works as a simple swap.

Yield: 6 servings | Prep: 30 min | Cook: 2 hours

Ingredients:

• 2 lbs beef tripe, cleaned
• 1 carrot, diced
• 1 onion, diced
• 4 cups beef broth
• 1 cup sour cream
• 3 egg yolks
• 2 tbsp vinegar
• 4 cloves garlic, minced
• Salt to taste

Method:

1. Simmer tripe in broth with carrot and onion for 1.5 hours until tender.
2. Slice tripe into thin strips, return to pot.
3. Whisk sour cream and egg yolks together, temper with hot broth.
4. Stir mixture back into pot, add vinegar and garlic.
5. Simmer gently 10 minutes without boiling.

5. Ciorbă de Perișoare (Sour Meatball Soup)

Ciorbă de perișoare is a bright, tangy soup built around tender rice-studded meatballs simmered in vegetable broth. A squeeze of lemon or splash of vinegar at the end gives it that signature Romanian sourness.

Yield: 6 servings | Prep: 25 min | Cook: 45 min

Ingredients:

• 1 lb ground pork
• 1/4 cup rice, uncooked
• 1 egg
• 1 onion, grated
• 6 cups vegetable broth
• 2 carrots, diced
• 1 bell pepper, diced
• 1 cup chopped tomatoes
• 3 tbsp lemon juice
• Fresh dill, chopped

Method:

1. Mix pork, rice, egg, and half the onion; shape into small meatballs.
2. Bring broth to a simmer with remaining vegetables.
3. Drop in meatballs, simmer 25 minutes.
4. Stir in tomatoes and lemon juice, simmer 10 more minutes.
5. Finish with fresh dill.

6. Ardei Umpluți (Stuffed Peppers)

Ardei umpluți are bell peppers stuffed with seasoned ground meat and rice, baked in a light tomato sauce until soft. They’re close cousins to sarmale but lighter and quicker to put together on a weeknight.

Yield: 6 servings | Prep: 30 min | Cook: 1 hour

Ingredients:

• 6 bell peppers, tops removed and seeded
• 1 lb ground pork or beef
• 1/2 cup rice, uncooked
• 1 onion, chopped
• 2 cups tomato sauce
• 1 tsp paprika
• Salt and pepper to taste
• Sour cream, for serving

Method:

1. Mix meat, rice, onion, paprika, salt, and pepper.
2. Stuff peppers with filling.
3. Arrange upright in a pot, pour tomato sauce around and over them.
4. Cover and simmer 50-60 minutes until peppers soften.
5. Serve with sour cream.

For more ideas using the same vegetable, check out our bell pepper recipes or browse sides to serve with stuffed peppers.

7. Tochitură Moldovenească (Moldavian Pork Stew)

Tochitură is a rich pork stew cooked down with onions, garlic, and paprika until thick and deeply savory. It’s traditionally served over mămăligă with a fried egg and crumbled cheese on top.

Yield: 6 servings | Prep: 20 min | Cook: 1.5 hours

Ingredients:

• 2 lbs pork shoulder, cubed
• 2 onions, sliced
• 4 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 tbsp paprika
• 1 cup white wine
• 2 cups chicken broth
• 2 tbsp lard or oil
• Salt and pepper to taste
• Fried eggs and mămăligă, for serving

Method:

1. Brown pork in lard over medium-high heat.
2. Add onions, cook until soft.
3. Stir in garlic and paprika, cook 1 minute.
4. Pour in wine and broth, simmer covered 1 hour until tender.
5. Serve over mămăligă topped with a fried egg.

8. Supă de Găluște (Chicken Soup with Semolina Dumplings)

Supă de găluște is a light chicken soup studded with fluffy semolina dumplings, a dish many Romanians grew up eating when they were sick or just craving something gentle. The dumplings puff up as they cook, soaking in the broth’s flavor.

Yield: 6 servings | Prep: 15 min | Cook: 45 min

Ingredients:

• 1 whole chicken, cut into pieces
• 2 carrots, sliced
• 1 parsnip, sliced
• 1 onion, quartered
• 8 cups water
• 2 eggs
• 1/2 cup semolina
• 2 tbsp melted butter
• Salt to taste

Method:

1. Simmer chicken with vegetables in water for 35 minutes.
2. Remove chicken, shred meat, return to pot.
3. Mix eggs, semolina, butter, and salt into a thick batter.
4. Drop small spoonfuls into simmering soup.
5. Cook 8-10 minutes until dumplings float and firm up.

Our chicken tortilla soup is another cozy option if you like soups built around shredded chicken.

9. Zacuscă (Roasted Eggplant and Pepper Spread)

Zacuscă is a smoky roasted vegetable spread made from eggplant, peppers, and tomatoes, cooked down until thick and jammy. Romanian families often can jars of it every fall to last through winter.

Yield: 4 jars | Prep: 30 min | Cook: 1.5 hours

Ingredients:

• 3 eggplants
• 6 red bell peppers
• 2 onions, finely chopped
• 1 cup tomato paste
• 1/2 cup sunflower oil
• 2 bay leaves
• Salt and pepper to taste

Method:

1. Roast eggplants and peppers until charred, peel and chop finely.
2. Sauté onions in oil until soft.
3. Add eggplant, peppers, tomato paste, and bay leaves.
4. Simmer uncovered 1 hour, stirring often, until thick.
5. Season and cool before storing in jars.

10. Salată de Vinete (Eggplant Salad)

Salată de vinete is a smoky, creamy eggplant spread mashed with oil and onion, closer to a dip than a salad despite its name. Charring the eggplant directly over a flame gives it that deep smoky flavor Romanians love.

Yield: 4 servings | Prep: 15 min | Cook: 30 min

Ingredients:

• 2 large eggplants
• 1 small onion, finely minced
• 1/2 cup sunflower oil
• 1 tbsp lemon juice
• Salt to taste
• Mayonnaise (optional, for creamier texture)

Method:

1. Char eggplants over an open flame or under a broiler until skin blackens and flesh softens.
2. Peel and drain excess liquid.
3. Mash flesh with a fork.
4. Slowly whisk in oil, then onion, lemon juice, and salt.
5. Chill before serving with crusty bread.

11. Fasole cu Ciolan (Beans with Smoked Pork Hock)

Fasole cu ciolan is a hearty bean stew built around smoked pork hock, giving the beans a deep, smoky richness. It’s slow food in the best sense, simmered until the hock meat falls off the bone.

Yield: 6 servings | Prep: overnight soak + 20 min | Cook: 2.5 hours

Ingredients:

• 1 lb dried white beans, soaked overnight
• 1 smoked pork hock
• 1 onion, chopped
• 2 carrots, diced
• 2 tbsp tomato paste
• 1 tsp paprika
• Bay leaves
• Salt and pepper to taste

Method:

1. Drain beans, add to a pot with pork hock and enough water to cover.
2. Simmer 1.5 hours until beans soften.
3. Remove hock, shred meat, return to pot.
4. Add onion, carrots, tomato paste, paprika, and bay leaves.
5. Simmer 45 more minutes until thick.

12. Ostropel de Pui (Chicken in Garlic Tomato Sauce)

Ostropel de pui is pan-fried chicken simmered in a garlicky tomato sauce, a simple dish that leans heavily on fresh garlic for punch. It comes together faster than most Romanian stews, making it a good midweek choice.

Yield: 4 servings | Prep: 15 min | Cook: 40 min

Ingredients:

• 2 lbs chicken thighs, bone-in
• 8 cloves garlic, minced
• 2 cups crushed tomatoes
• 1/4 cup white wine
• 2 tbsp oil
• 1 tsp paprika
• Salt and pepper to taste
• Fresh parsley, chopped

Method:

1. Brown chicken in oil, remove and set aside.
2. Sauté garlic briefly until fragrant.
3. Add tomatoes, wine, and paprika, bring to a simmer.
4. Return chicken to the pan, cover and cook 30 minutes.
5. Garnish with parsley before serving.

13. Pilaf de Pui (Romanian Chicken and Rice)

Pilaf de pui is a one-pot chicken and rice dish simmered in broth until the rice turns tender and fragrant. It’s a staple of Romanian home cooking, often made with whatever vegetables are on hand.

Yield: 4 servings | Prep: 15 min | Cook: 35 min

Ingredients:

• 1.5 lbs chicken thighs
• 1.5 cups rice
• 1 onion, chopped
• 1 carrot, diced
• 3 cups chicken broth
• 2 tbsp butter
• Salt and pepper to taste

Method:

1. Brown chicken in butter, remove and set aside.
2. Sauté onion and carrot until soft.
3. Stir in rice, toast 2 minutes.
4. Add broth and chicken, bring to a boil.
5. Cover, reduce heat, simmer 20 minutes until rice is tender.

14. Chiftele (Romanian Meatballs)

Chiftele are pan-fried meatballs flavored with garlic, bread soaked in milk, and fresh herbs, crisp on the outside and soft inside. They make a great appetizer or main dish served with mashed potatoes or pickles.

Yield: 20 meatballs | Prep: 20 min | Cook: 20 min

Ingredients:

• 1.5 lbs ground pork
• 2 slices bread, soaked in milk
• 1 egg
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 2 tbsp fresh parsley, chopped
• Salt and pepper to taste
• Oil, for frying

Method:

1. Squeeze excess milk from bread, mix with pork, egg, garlic, and parsley.
2. Season with salt and pepper.
3. Shape into small balls, flatten slightly.
4. Fry in hot oil 4-5 minutes per side until golden.

Explore more shapes and sauces in our meatball appetizers roundup or pair them with ideas from our meatball sauce recipes.

15. Ghiveci de Legume (Vegetable Stew)

Ghiveci de legume is a colorful summer vegetable stew packed with whatever’s in season, from zucchini to green beans to peas. It’s a flexible dish that welcomes substitutions without losing its character.

Yield: 6 servings | Prep: 20 min | Cook: 40 min

Ingredients:

• 1 zucchini, diced
• 1 eggplant, diced
• 2 carrots, sliced
• 1 cup green beans
• 1 cup peas
• 2 bell peppers, diced
• 1 cup tomato sauce
• 3 tbsp oil
• Salt and pepper to taste

Method:

1. Sauté carrots and peppers in oil for 5 minutes.
2. Add eggplant and zucchini, cook 10 minutes.
3. Stir in green beans, peas, and tomato sauce.
4. Simmer covered 20-25 minutes until vegetables soften.
5. Season to taste before serving.

16. Drob de Miel (Romanian Lamb Terrine)

Drob de miel is a baked lamb organ terrine wrapped in caul fat, traditionally served at Easter alongside fresh greens and hard-boiled eggs. It tastes richer and herbier than it sounds, thanks to a heavy hand with dill and green onion.

Yield: 8 servings | Prep: 30 min | Cook: 1 hour

Ingredients:

• 1.5 lbs lamb liver, heart, and kidneys, cleaned
• 4 eggs, hard-boiled
• 2 eggs, raw
• 1 bunch green onions, chopped
• 1 bunch fresh dill, chopped
• Salt and pepper to taste
• Caul fat, for wrapping (optional)

Method:

1. Boil organ meats 15 minutes, then grind or chop finely.
2. Mix with raw eggs, green onions, dill, salt, and pepper.
3. Line a loaf pan with caul fat, add half the mixture.
4. Nestle whole hard-boiled eggs in the center, cover with remaining mixture.
5. Bake at 375°F for 45-50 minutes until firm.

17. Cozonac (Sweet Walnut Bread)

Cozonac is a sweet, enriched bread swirled with a rich walnut and cocoa filling, baked for Christmas and Easter across Romania. The dough takes patience to rise properly, but the soft, pillowy crumb makes it worth the wait.

Yield: 2 loaves | Prep: 2.5 hours (with rising) | Cook: 40 min

Ingredients:

• 4 cups flour
• 1 cup warm milk
• 2 eggs
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 1/2 cup butter, melted
• 2 1/4 tsp active dry yeast
• 2 cups ground walnuts
• 1/2 cup sugar (for filling)
• 2 tbsp cocoa powder
• 1/4 cup milk (for filling)

Method:

1. Dissolve yeast in warm milk, let sit 10 minutes.
2. Mix flour, eggs, sugar, butter, and yeast mixture into a soft dough.
3. Knead 10 minutes, let rise 1.5 hours until doubled.
4. Mix walnuts, sugar, cocoa, and milk for filling.
5. Roll out dough, spread filling, roll into a log, place in loaf pans.
6. Let rise 30 minutes, bake at 350°F for 35-40 minutes.

18. Papanași (Cheese Doughnuts with Sour Cream and Jam)

Papanași are fried cheese doughnuts piled with sour cream and fruit jam, a dessert that shows up on nearly every Romanian restaurant menu. The cheese keeps the inside soft while the outside turns golden and slightly crisp.

Yield: 8 doughnuts | Prep: 20 min | Cook: 15 min

Ingredients:

• 1 lb farmer’s cheese or cottage cheese, drained
• 2 eggs
• 1 cup flour
• 2 tbsp sugar
• 1 tsp baking powder
• Oil, for frying
• Sour cream and fruit jam, for topping

Method:

1. Mix cheese, eggs, sugar, flour, and baking powder into a soft dough.
2. Shape into small rings or balls.
3. Fry in hot oil 3-4 minutes per side until golden.
4. Top with sour cream and jam before serving.

19. Plăcintă cu Brânză (Romanian Cheese Pie)

Plăcintă cu brânză is a flaky pastry filled with sweetened farmer’s cheese, baked until the top turns golden and crisp. Romanians eat it for breakfast, as a snack, or alongside coffee in the afternoon.

Yield: 8 servings | Prep: 25 min | Cook: 35 min

Ingredients:

• 1 lb farmer’s cheese, drained
• 2 eggs
• 1/3 cup sugar
• 1 package puff pastry sheets
• 1 egg yolk, for brushing
• Powdered sugar, for dusting

Method:

1. Mix cheese, eggs, and sugar until smooth.
2. Roll out pastry, spread cheese filling evenly.
3. Fold or layer pastry over filling, brush top with egg yolk.
4. Bake at 375°F for 30-35 minutes until golden.
5. Cool slightly, dust with powdered sugar before slicing.

Romanian Pantry Essentials and Practical Substitutions

A well-stocked Romanian pantry starts with cornmeal, smoked pork, sour cream, and fresh dill. These four ingredients show up across nearly every recipe on this list, from mămăligă to ciorbă.

Coarse cornmeal (sometimes labeled polenta cornmeal) gives mămăligă its proper texture. Fine cornmeal cooks faster but turns gummy instead of fluffy.

Sour cream ties together soups, stews, and desserts alike. Full-fat sour cream or Greek yogurt both work if you’re looking for a tangy finish without heading to a specialty store.

Smoked pork, whether bacon, hock, or kielbasa, brings the deep savory base found in beans and cabbage dishes. A smoked ham hock from a regular grocery store works fine as a stand-in for ciolan.

Paprika, bay leaves, and fresh dill round out the seasoning. Hungarian sweet paprika gives the closest flavor match to what Romanian cooks use.

Common substitutions:

Original Ingredient	Substitute
Telemea cheese	Feta cheese
Caul fat	Thin bacon strips or omit
Borș (fermented bran liquid)	White vinegar or lemon juice
Smoked ciolan	Smoked ham hock
Coarse cornmeal	Polenta cornmeal

If pickled cabbage for sarmale isn’t available, a head of fresh cabbage blanched in salted water and briefly soaked in vinegar water gets close to the right tang. For more cabbage-based inspiration, our easy cabbage recipes collection has useful ideas for working with a whole head.

How to Put Together a Romanian Meal

A traditional Romanian meal starts with a sour soup, moves to a hearty main, and ends with something sweet and simple. This structure shows up at family gatherings across the country.

Start with ciorbă de perișoare or ciorbă de burtă to warm up the palate with something tangy and light. Soup always comes first in Romanian dining, never as an afterthought.

For the main course, pair a stew like tochitură or ostropel de pui with mămăligă on the side. Sarmale works well for larger gatherings since it holds up over a few hours on the stove and reheats without losing flavor.

Add a cold side like salată de vinete or a jar of zacuscă spread on bread. These bring a smoky, cool contrast to the rich, warm main dishes.

Close the meal with something sweet. Papanași makes a fun dessert for a casual dinner, while cozonac fits better for holidays and special occasions when you want something to slice and share.

Sample Romanian dinner menu:

• Ciorbă de perișoare (soup course)
• Sarmale with mămăligă and sour cream (main course)
• Salată de vinete with crusty bread (side)
• Papanași (dessert)

If you’re exploring cuisines from other parts of Eastern Europe, our Polish recipes collection makes a good next stop, since the two cuisines share a love of cabbage, pork, and sour cream.